3. Plymouth Rock – Dual purpose This is an early maturity bird with fairly heavy body. It has a single comb of medium size. The egg shell is brown in colour while the flesh, skin and feet are yellow. The bird is a prolific layer and makes a good mother. 4. The Barred rock – Dual purpose This is a tail bird with a deep long square body. The barring (black parallel stripes of plumage) is uniform throughout the body with a grayish under colour. 5. New Hampshire red This is a hardy bird and an excellent layer which produces tinted eggs. It has a single comb of medium size. The flesh, feet and legs are yellow in colour.
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Activity 3.2
1. The following birds are all poultry breeds except:
a) Quail
b) Parrot
c) Turkey
d) Chicken
e) Ducks
2. Which of the following characteristics are true of light poultry breeds? Tick the correct ones.
a) Nervous and get upset by sudden movements
b) They eat more,
c) Mature early and get into production earlier
d) They go ‘broody’ or try to incubate their own eggs
e) Are smaller in body hence cheaper to maintain
f) They have an inferior carcass
g) They are quieter
Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
You now know the various chicken breeds available in Kenya and their characteristics. Next we shall discuss incubation practices.
Section 3.2: Incubation
Incubation is the process of keeping eggs under favourable temperatures in order to promote embryonic growth and the hatching of young chicks. Before we look at the process of incubation, let us look at the composition of a chicken egg.
Composition of a Chicken Egg
A chicken egg is made up of various parts as shown in figure 3.5 below:
The shell
The shell membrane
Albumen
Chalazae
Yolk.
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Figure 3.6: Diagram of a fertilized chicken egg
The Shell
This forms 12% of the egg and is largely made up of calcium carbonate which
makes it hard. It protects the interior parts of the egg and has pores that allow
gaseous exchange.
Shell Membranes
This is the inner lining of the shell. It has 2 membranes that separate at the broad
end of the egg to form an air space.
Albumen (egg white)
The albumen makes up 55% of the egg. It is a jelly-like, colourless fluid when
fresh.
It surrounds the yolk and serves as a food reserve for the developing chick.
Chalazae
These are 2 twisted cords which hold the yolk from both ends of the egg.
If the chalazae is broken the yolk shakes and is displaced from its normal position.
Yolk
The yolk makes up 33% of the egg. It is yellow in colour and spherical in shape. It
has a germ spot which develops into a chick. A fertilized germ spot is called a
plastoderm while an unfertilized one is called a plastodisa. The yolk contains
food reserves for the developing chick and is rich in vitamins, fats, minerals and
protein.
Qualities of Eggs for Incubation
Eggs for incubation should have the following qualities:
They should be fertilized
They should be of medium size i.e. about 55-60gms in weight
Should have smooth shells
Oval shaped
Not cracked
Clean to ensure that pores are open
Shell
Chalazae (dense protoplasm)
Inner
membrane
York
Air space
Germ layer spot
Outer membrane
Albumen
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Should not have abnormalities such as blood spots, meat spots, double yolk
etc.
Should not be more than 5 days old.
Egg Candling
Egg candling is a method used to check eggs for fertility and determine which ones
will hatch into chicks. It involves observing an egg through light rays, see figure 3.7
for the candling technique.
Figure 3.7: Candling technique
Candling Method
As you can see from Figure 3.7, candling is a simple method which you can do at
home using the following procedure:
Cut a small round hole on top of a cardboard box. The hole should be just
big enough to sit the pointed end of the egg
Place a torch inside the cardboard box just under the hole
Place the egg on the hole and turn on the light
You will be able to see if the egg is fertile. A fertile egg has blood veins and a
black spot inside the egg. Figure 3.8 shows you the results of candling.
a) Fertilised egg b) Unfertilised egg
Egg
Light source
Hole to place egg
Cardboard or
wooden box
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Figure 3.8: Results of candling
Incubated eggs should be candled 2 or more times. The first candling should be done on the 5th and 7th day to check for fertility. If they are fertile blood veins will be seen. If they are not, they appear clear. The second candling is done on the 18th day to confirm the presence of a chick. An egg with a living embryo clearly shows a large section containing the embryo and a smaller clear section, containing the air space.
Methods of Incubation
Egg incubation means putting an egg in a place where the right conditions for embryonic development are provided so that a chick is ultimately hatched from the egg. For chicken eggs, these conditions must be provided for 21 days.
How are incubation eggs selected?
Eggs for incubation are selected on the following basis:
Eggs that;
Are fertilized
is neither too small nor too large
are clean
have no cracks on the eggshell
are less than seven (7) days
are from breeder birds with a good cock-hen ratio.
are stored under low temperature below 23.90C.
There are two main methods of incubation. These are:
Natural incubation
Artificial incubation
Let us briefly look at each method starting with the natural incubation.
A. Natural Incubation
In natural incubation, you choose a broody hen that is large enough to cover the eggs and thus keep them warm. The hen should be healthy and preferably vaccinated, with a good brooding and mothering record. The signs of broodiness are indicated when the hen stops laying, remains sitting on her eggs, ruffles her feathers, spreads her wings and makes a distinctive clucking sound. Brooding may be induced with dummy eggs.
About 10-15 eggs are adequate to sit on. More than 15 eggs leads to low hatchability. Allow the hen to sit in a dark, vermin proof, simple laying box or quiet place for the 21 days. Use nesting material, such as, dry grass, sawdust and wood shavings to line the nest. The hen warms the eggs and turns them regularly to ensure even heating until they hatch. Figure 3.9 below shows an illustration of brooding hens.
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Figure 3.9: Brooding hens
Factors to consider during natural incubation
You should consider the following factors during natural incubation:
The broody hen should be dusted with appropriate insecticides to rid her of parasites itchy parasites often cause hens to get up and abandon eggs;
Provide dry grains with grit, greens and water for the brooding hen;
Remove any broken eggs;
Wash eggs that get soiled (dirty) using a clean cloth soaked in warm water;
Ensure no egg is left out in the cold by providing less than 15 eggs per hen;
After the eggs hatch, you should move mother and chicks to a new clean place.
Advantages of Natural Incubation
The natural incubation method has the following advantages:
A small-scale farmer who cannot afford an incubator can multiply his flock using this method;
It is less laborious as there is no need of turning the eggs and checking the temperature;
It does not require maintenance cost;
It requires little skill.
Disadvantages
Natural incubation has a number of disadvantages. These are:
Only a few chicks can be hatched at a time per hen;
The farmer cannot plan when to incubate;
The availability of broody hen sitters is not always possible.
B. Artificial Incubation
There are many commercial artificial incubators of varying capacities. Most depend on electricity, but some use gas or kerosene for heating. All use a thermostatic switching device to keep the temperature constant within one (1) Celsius degree. The correct humidity is usually maintained by having a pre-determined surface area of water appropriate for each incubator chamber.
Why is it necessary to turn eggs during incubation?
Turning eggs during artificial incubation is important because of the following reasons:
To stop the embryo from sticking on the inner shell membrane;
To enable the embryo utilize nutrients efficiently;
To enable even distribution of heat inside the egg.
How are eggs set in an incubator?
Eggs are set with the large end facing upwards. This part of the egg contains an air sac, which carries oxygen to the chick during the hatching process. See figure 3.10 for a photograph of an artificial incubator.
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Figure 3.10: Artificial incubator with eggs set with large end facing downwards
.
You have now come to the end of this section on incubation practices. Before you move on, complete the following activity.
You have now come to the end of this unit on poultry breeds and incubation. It’s
Activity 3.2
Incubation Practices (Time: 15 minutes)
1. Which of the following sign tells you that an egg is fertilized during candling? Tick the correct answer.
A ring of blood around the embryo
Visible blood veins with a dark spot in the centre
A dark cloud around the centre of the egg
2. Which of the following eggs are NOT suitable for incubation? Tick the correct answers
Eggs more than 5 days old
Fertilized eggs
Eggs with abnormalities such as blood spots or double yolks
Eggs with smooth shells
Fertilized eggs
Cracked eggs
3. What is the difference between natural incubation and artificial incubation? Write your answer in the space provided below.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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now time for you to review what you have learnt.
Unit Summary
In this unit we have discussed the various poultry breeds found in Kenya. We noted that there are mainly three types, that is, indigenous chicken, exotic layers and broilers and hybrid chicken. We also looked at incubation practices and examined the two methods of incubation used in Kenya and their advantages and disadvantages. We also discussed the factors to consider during incubation.
In the next Unit we shall discuss how to manage poultry from the minute they hatch.
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Unit 4
Poultry Management
Introduction
Welcome to the fourth unit in our course on poultry management. In the last unit
you learnt about the different chicken breeds available in Kenya and the three
poultry production systems used by farmers. In this course we shall discuss poultry
management. We shall look at the various methods of brooding chicken, the
requirements of an artificial brooder and how to rear pullets, layers and table birds.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Describe the methods of brooding chicken
Describe the general broader management of chicks
Apply the appropriate brooder management practices for pullets, layers and
table birds
Conduct routine poultry management activities, such as cleaning and
disinfection, debeaking, pasting, detoeing, vaccination and culling.
Section 4.1: Methods of Brooding Chicken
In this section we shall discuss the meaning of brooding and the methods of brooding
chicken. Before we start, think about the meaning of brooding and then complete
the following activity.
Activity 4.1
Meaning of Brooding
Write down the meaning of brooding in the space provided below
Compare your answer with what you read in the following section.
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Brooding is the rearing of chicks from 1 day old till the time they are ready to leave the brooder at 8 weeks. Chicks are precocial, that is, they are able to walk and feed themselves within hours of hatching. However, their bodies are not able to regulate temperature properly for the first two weeks of life. Brooding provides chicks with the necessary warmth, food and water and helps to prevent chick mortality and achieve maximum growth.
There are two main methods used for brooding. These are:
Natural brooding
Artificial brooding.
Let us look at each method in further detail starting with natural brooding.
Natural Brooding
In nature, chicks hatch after 2 to 4 weeks of incubation by the hen. The hatched chicks provide the stimulus to the hen to change her work from incubating eggs to brooding the young. This method of brooding chicks is suitable if you want to raise a few chicks. The brooding hen provides the chicks with warmth. An average hen can brood up to 15 or 20 chicks depending on her size and the weather conditions. Some hens can easily adopt chicks hatched by other hens. The hen stays with the chicks until they are old enough to feed on their own.
During natural brooding, you should provide food and water for the hen and the chicks. During the 1st week feed the chicks with small quantities of feed frequently, for example, every 2 hours. The feed should consist of chick mash mixed with water or milk to a crumbly consistency. Feed the hen with growers mash and take care to ensure that the chicks do not get access to the hen food. Provide both the chicks and hen with clean water.
You should also spray the cage regularly to eliminate mites and other pests. During the 1st week, give them vaccination against Mareks disease. If you are using a cage or fold, you should move them frequently to avoid parasitic infestation or a disease outbreak
Disadvantages of Natural Brooding
Many broody hens are required for brooding a large number of chicks;
Brooding is not frequent among many laying strains thus natural brooding is not practicable for large poultry.
Artificial Brooding
Artificial brooding becomes necessary when brooding hens are not available or when a large number of chicks are being raised. In this method the chicks are kept in a structure (brooder) in which food and other requirements for their growth are provided. The chicks remain in the brooder for 6-8 weeks after hatching.
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Requirements for an Artificial Brooder
The following are the requirements for an artificial brooder.
1. Litter: this is usually in the form of wood shavings. It should be spread on the brooder’s floor and be able to maintain warmth and absorb moisture.
2. Fresh air: Holes for ventilation should be made on the walls of the brooder to allow gaseous exchange. However the holes should not allow drought into the brooder.
3. Heat source: You can provide heat from an electric bulb, charcoal burner, lantern or a gas burner. When using a charcoal burner, lantern or gas burner, you should place a wire guard around the heat source to prevent the chicks from burning when they crowd around it.
You should ensure that the brooder maintains the following temperature:
1st week – 32o C – 35o C
2nd week – 29.7 oC – 32.2o C
3rd week – 26.6 oC – 29.7 oC
Maintain the temperature above the floor at 32o C for the first week and then lower it by 4o C every week up to the fourth week. If the heat is withdrawn at once the chicks overcrowd at one point of the brooder and this results in several chicks dying. Check the temperature using a thermometer and observe the reaction of the chicks to the heat. Figure 4.1 below shows the behaviour of chicks under different brooder conditions.
Figure 4.1: Behaviour of chicks under different brooder conditions
As you can see in Figure 4.1 the chicks respond to changes in temperature and draught in the following ways:
At high temperature the chicks move away from heat source
At low temperature the chicks crowd around the heat source
Normal or optimum temperature
Draught from one side
Too cold
Very hot
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At normal or correct temperature the chicks are evenly spread in the brooder
If there is drought from one side the chicks crowd in one corner.
4. Light: the brooder should have enough light to allow chicks to see food and water. You should use a dim or dull light as bright lights can cause blindness in the chicks and influence toe pecking.
5. Feeders: make sure you have a sufficient number of feeders so that the chicks can feed without overcrowding. Clean them every morning before feeding the chicks to avoid infection. The design of the feeders should ensure that the chicks do not contaminate the feed with their droppings. The various types of feeders are shown in figure 4.2 below.
Linear chick feeder Tube feeder
Figure 4.2: Types of feeder.
6. Drinkers or Waterers: provide the chicks with clean and safe water and ensure that they do not step on the drinker or defecate in the water. The watering containers should have pointed tops to discourage the chicks from perching on top. Figure 4.3 below shows a variety of drinkers used in the brooder.
Figure 4.3: Waterer/Drinker
7. Corners: most brooders are round so that there are no sharp corners. Corners encourage overcrowding and suffocation. If your brooder has sharp corners, you should fit cardboards at each corner to round it up.
We hope you now understand the two brooding methods used by farmers. Next let us look at the general management of a brooder.
4.2: General Brooder Management
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In this section we shall discuss what you need to do before and after the chicks arrive. We shall start by looking at the preparations you should make before the chicks arrive.
Preparation Before Chicks Arrive
If you adopt artificial brooding method, you should make the following preparation before your chicks arrive:
Prepare the brooder 2-3 days before chicks arrive;
Ensure the brooder and all equipment are clean and well disinfected;
Examine the heating equipment and test to make sure it is functioning properly;
Spread 100-125mm litter which has been sterilized in the sun over the floor to act as insulation and to absorb moisture from droppings. The litter can be made of sawdust, wood shaving, groundnut shells, broken maize cobs etc.;
Spread gummy bag on the floor of the broods. This prevents the chicks from eating saw dust (litter);
Spread some food on the gummy bag and some placed in the feeders. This helps the chicks to know where the feed is after they eat up all the feed on the floor.
When chicks have learnt where to eat from the gunny bad is removed.
Warm the brooder to a temperature of 32-350C some 24 hrs before the arrival of the chicks.
On collecting the chicks, inspect them to ensure that:
the chicks are uniform
the chicks are alert
the chicks have no deformities
the chicks do not have any sign of infection.
Transport the chicks in well-ventilated boxes without direct exposure to sunlight, wind or rain.
General Brooder Management after Arrival of Chicks
Once the chicks arrive in the brooder, you should ensure the following:
Start by giving them wholesome drinking water, vitamins, glucose and liquid paraffin. This provides the chicks with energy and helps them to overcome the stress caused by travelling. Liquid paraffin assists in the passage of faeces and prevents pasting.
Feed them on chick mash for the first 8 weeks. Chick mash has 20-22% D.C.P and Vitamin A and D in addition to other feed substances. The high amount of protein & Vitamin A helps in faster growth.
Check on the chicks regularly for the 1sttwo weeks
Follow a regular vaccination programme, that is, vaccinate against new castle and fowl typhoid
Ensure the temperature is well regulated at all times. Chicks should not be chilled or overheated, since this may result in:
Increased mortality
Dehydration
Retarded growth
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Poor flock uniformity.
Dust the chicks with an appropriate insecticide to control parasites.
Control coccidiosis by giving coccidiostat to chicks through water or feed.
In the 6th week, introduce perches for the chicks to perch on.
Introduce grit (sand) in the brooder to help in the digestion of the feed.
Introduce Growers Mash in the 7th week. This should be introduced gradually with a ration of ¼ growers mash mixed with a ¾ ration of the chick mash. By the 9th week the chicks should be feeding on growers mash only.
Provide security against thieves and pests e.g. cats and dogs that eat chicks.
Remove the chicks from the brooder when they are 8 weeks old. At this time they are big enough to be taken to the main poultry house.
We hope you now understand how to prepare the brooder to receive chicks and how to take care of the chicks during artificial brooding. Before you proceed to the next section complete the following activity to remind yourself the important points.
In the next section we shall look at the specific management of pullets, layers and broilers.
4.3: Management of Pullets, Layers and Table Birds
Once chicks leave the brooder they are taken to the poultry house. Their subsequent
Activity 4.2
Broader management
1. List 4 things you should check in the brooder before the chicks arrive.
i There is enough light
ii The temperature is at least 32o to 35o C
iii There are sufficient feeders and drinkers for the number of chicks
iv The litter is warm and it has absorbent qualities
2. List 4 things you should check when collecting chicks:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
3. Write down four things you should do to ensure that chicks are comfortable in the brooder.
i.
ii
iii
iv.
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management depends of the type of chicken, that is, whether they are pullets, layers or table birds. We will discuss at the management of each type individually.
Management of Pullets
A pullet is a female which is one year of age or younger and has not yet completed the first laying period. Pullets can be reared under free range, deep litter or battery systems.
Before their arrival, the poultry house should be properly cleaned and disinfected.
If the pullets are reared under the deep litter system, you should spread clean and dry litter 10cm – 15cm above the floor. Spread the little evenly avoiding the corners in order to prevent the pullets from crowding in the corners at night. Crowding as we mentioned before causes death due to suffocation or crushing.
If the pullets are reared in a free-range system, they only need shelter or housing at night, when it is raining or when it is too hot.
Factors to observe in pullet management
You should observe the following factors when managing pullets:
Do not expose pullets to increasing day lengths from 8-20 weeks of age as this can stimulate the pullets to start laying eggs at prematurely
Isolate or cull abnormal or sick birds that have poor development of feathers and vaccinate.
Visit the pullets often for close supervision and identification of diseases which need immediate attention
Where possible, construct roosts either along the sides of the house walls or in the middle of the house to reduce soiling of the litter
Feed the birds on growers mash which contain 16-17% D.C.P
Green vegetation which growers can peck to keep themselves busy is hanged at various points in the house
Soluble grit (oyster shells) should be provided towards the end of grower’s stage.
Management of Layers
Layers are birds which are kept for eggs. They start laying eggs at the age of 20-21 weeks. In the first 1-2 weeks the eggs produced are very small in size but they normalize from the third week onwards. You should manage them as follows:
Vaccinate them every six months against new castle and fowl typhoid.
Provide enough floor space, roosts, feeders and drinkers
Ensure each hen receives 120gms of layers mash feed per day
Keep the litter as dry as possible especially if you practice the deep litter system;
Collect eggs twice a day at noon and in the evening
Hang green leaves in the poultry house to keep the birds busy and prevent cannibalism.
Cull the hens which do not lay or which have cannibalistic behaviour.
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Activity 4.3
Management of Pullets, Layers and Table Birds (Time: 20 mins)
List at least 3 differences between layers and table birds.
Type of Chicken Main Differences Between Layers and Table Birds Layers 1. 2. 3. Table Birds 1. 2. 3.
Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
Management of Table Birds
These are birds which are raised for meat. There are three types of table birds, that is:
Broilers : these are raised for meat and are marketed when they reach a live weight of between 1.45 -2.75kg depending on the most profitable time of production. Broilers normally convert food into meat at a ratio of about 2:1. This depends on correct management practices and nutrition.
Capons: these are cocks which are castrated at about 110-150 days. They weigh between 3-3.5kg live weights.
Roasters: these are chicks which are slaughtered when they are between 90-150 days old
The management practice of table birds is similar to that of pullets and it includes:
From the age of 5-6 weeks you should give them broiler mash. This feed is a high energy food that promotes rapid growth.
Give less broiler mash to birds which are older than 10 weeks
Do not use hooks to catch table birds due to their great weight
Give anticoccidial drugs to avoid economic losses by coccidiosis
Apply disease prevention and control programmes and monitor your flock closely.
That brings you to the end of this section on poultry management. As a way of reflecting on what you have learnt, complete the following activity.
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In the next and last section of this unit we shall discuss routine poultry management
practices.
4.4: Routine Poultry Management Practices
As a poultry farmer, you will need to perform certain routine management activities
to keep your chicken healthy and safe. These activities are:
Poultry hygiene
Debeaking
Pasting
De-toeing
Vaccination
Culling.
Let us discuss each activity in turn starting with poultry hygiene
Poultry Hygiene
The following are the directions for cleaning and disinfecting your poultry house:
Remove all portable equipment;
Remove litter. Do not store litter near the laying house;
Thoroughly sweep down all dust and cob webs;
Wash all the equipment and the lower walls and floor;
Scrub with 5% hot washing soda or 0.3% hypochlorite solution;
Treat earth floors with 1% formalin. Make sure you soak the floor thoroughly
with this solution;
Fumigate the closed house with potassium permanganate crystals and
formalin;
Keep the clean house empty for at least 2 weeks before restocking.
Debeaking
Debeaking is the partial removal of the beak of chicken. It involves shortening the
upper beak which is used for pecking and breaking eggs. It is done at the age of 6-9
days in layers or in pullets 10-14 days old. Debeaking helps to control cannibalism
and egg eating.
Figure 4.4: Debeaked chicken
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Pasting
This is when the vent of a chick is blocked by faeces. It is caused by factors such as:
Poor nutrition;
Poor ventilation leading to droughts;
Diseases that affect the normal functioning of the digestive track;
Very high or very low temperature in the house;
Depriving chicks of water between hatching and installation in the brooder.
You can treat pasting by softening the faeces with warm water and then removing it very gently. One important step in preventing pasting is making sure that the chicks in the brooder drink water before they start eating food. As each bird goes into the brooder, dip the beak into the drinker so they can get a small drink and also learn where their water source is. Other preventive measures include improving the brooder conditions such as temperature, ventilation, and feed.
Detoeing
This is the removal of the inside and back toe of cockerels at the outer joint. It is done using a hot blade to cut off and cauterize the toe. Detoeing of cockerels helps to prevent injury to the hens when the cock jumps and bushes on her with his feet astride during mating. If cocks have not been detoed, the nails should be blunted before allowing them to stay with the hens.
Vaccination and other Health Measures
All chicken should be vaccinated against the most common diseases in your area.. Table 4.1 below shows the vaccination regime and other health measures for chicken.
Table 4.1: Chicken vaccination regime
Day old Mareks Mode of administration Mainly for commercial hatcheries Day 10 Gumboro (1st dose) Drinking water Day 18 Gumboro (2nd dose) Drinking water 3 weeks New castle disease (1st dose ) Eye drop or drinking water 3 weeks (in hot spot areas) Fowl pox Wing web stab 6 weeks (other areas) New castle disease (2nd dose) Eye drop or drinking water 8 weeks Fowl typhoid Intramuscular injection 18 weeks New castle disease (3rd dose at point of lay Eye drop or drinking water Repeat every 3 months 19 weeks De-worming Drinking water Repeat every 3 months
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Culling
Culling is the removal of unproductive birds from the flock. The factors that necessitate culling of birds are:
Poor growth (stunted);
Chronic diseases that render birds unproductive (injures may be included);
Old age, such birds have low production;
Poor layers consume feed without laying and therefore they are uneconomical;
Vices such as egg eating and cannibalism.
External and physical appearance is used in the culling process of layers. What characteristics should you look for in a layer in order to select it for culling? The following table compares the characteristics of good and bad layers to help you identify birds for culling.
Table 6.1: Characteristics of good and bad layers
Good Layer Poor Layer Combs and wattles are large, warm, waxy and red The comb is small or shrunken, dry, scaly, pale and cold Eyes – Bright orange and alert Eyes – Dull and pale yellow Beak – pale Beak – yellowish in colour The vent is oval (increscent) Moist, reddish in colour and active The vent is round, dry and pale in colour it is less active Abdomen is soft, pliable and wide Abdomen hard and sometimes full The space between keel and pelvic bone is wide and can fit 3-4 fingers The space between keel and pelvic bones is small and can only fit 1-2 fingers Temperament. Alert and active Temperature: Lazy and dull Plumage : Dry and rugged feathers appear worn out due to frequenting the nest Plumage: preened and glossy. Feathers are beautiful and smooth Moulting starts late Moulting starts early Shanks are pale Shanks are yellowish Broodiness is rare Broodiness is common
Congratulations for coming this far! You have come to the end of this section on routine poultry management practices. Find out how much you still remember by doing the following activity.
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Unit Summary
In this unit you have learnt about the meaning of the term ‘brooding’ and the two methods of brooding, namely, the natural and artificial method. You have also learnt about the general management of chicken in the brooder, and especially how to prepare the brooder before the chicks arrive as well as how to manage the chicks in the brooder. Lastly, you have learnt how to manage pullets, layers and broilers once they graduate from the brooder to the poultry house.
In the next unit you will learn about poultry feed management.
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Unit 5
Poultry Nutrition and Feeding
Introduction
Congratulations for coming this far! In the last unit you learnt how to manage
poultry during the brooding phase and after they graduate to the poultry house. In
this unit we shall discuss poultry nutrition and feeding. We shall discuss the
nutritional requirements of poultry, the classification of feed ingredients, feed
formulation and lastly the various systems of poultry feeding.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Explain the nutritional requirements of poultry;
Formulate poultry feed;
Describe the different poultry feeding systems.
5.1 Nutritional Requirements of Poultry
Feed is the most important input in poultry production. Poultry need a balanced diet
in order to produce eggs, meat and develop resistance to diseases. The nutritional
requirements of chicken depend on their stage of development.
There are 3 stages in the life of a laying bird for which food requirements are
different. These are:
The starting and early growth stage
The pullet stage
The laying or egg production stage.
In the case of broilers, their food requirements differ at the starting and early growth
stage, since they are expected to grow into soft, matures birds, in 3 months or less.
To provide a balanced diet, poultry feed must contain all the necessary nutrients.
Which nutrients do you think are required by poultry? Think about it for 2 minutes
and then complete the following activity.
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We believe your answer included the following nutrients:
Protein
Energy
Mineral
Vitamin.
Let us briefly discuss each type of nutrient in turn starting with protein.
Protein
Poultry require protein for growth and development of muscles and feathers. Normally 15-20% of poultry feed should be made up of protein. Protein requirements are high during the moulting and growing stage as young chicks continuously produce new feathers. Laying hens moult (lose feathers) after the first laying season and so require a diet high in protein to grow new feathers. Protein is also required for the synthesis of egg protein. There are two primary sources of protein for poultry feed. The first one is vegetable protein such as groundnut, soybean cake, and maize glutens. The second is animal protein sources such as fishmeal, skim milk powder, and liver meal.
Energy
As a rule, 60-80% of poultry feed should contain foods high in energy. Energy foods are important for the maintenance of body temperature, vital functions and for exercise. High energy foods can be easily formulated using cereals such as, maize meal, oats, barley, rice bran and wheat.
Minerals Minerals are important for bone formation, eggshell formation and for optimal health status. The most important minerals are calcium and phosphorous. Examples of sources for minerals
